Banana industry happy to see end of Wrigley ad dispute

Banana growers have won their wish for a dancing banana to be stripped from an advertisement promoting Wrigley chewing gum.

The ad, promoting plaque-fighting gum, groups bananas in with sugary snacks – a link the industry was far from pleased with. As such, they filed a complaint with the Advertising Standards Bureau and even went as far as to boycott chewing gum.

“In no way shape or form is the banana part of that family (“junk food”), or that group of what I see as bad foods, of course it is exactly the opposite,” Horticulture Australia’s David Chenu told AAP.

Australian banana growers had been planning a day of protest in January after the Advertising Standards Board rejected their complaint.

“It was going to be a rally calling for a ban on the consumption and purchase of Wrigley chewing gum,” Mr Chenu advised.

However, Wrigley has ensured it will not be necessary by agreeing to leave bananas out of future campaigns in a “gesture of goodwill”.